Weekend Meteorologist

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JOE LAURIA

• Weekend Meteorologist
• WDAF-TV4 (FOX 4)

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An Average Day

• FOX 4 Has 8 Hours Of News/Weekday
• 4.5 Hours/Weekend Day
• Each 30 Minute segment has 1 long wxcast of
  230-330 and 1-2 shorter hits 30 secs
• Bane of my existenceteases
• Roughly 4-5 minutes of weather/30 minutes

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Rundown

• Have an idea of whats going on before you arrive
  at the station
• Forecast Prep 15 min-60 minlonger when active
• Hit the graphicshow do you present your
  thoughtsfor me it takes the most time by far
• Some are automatic (computer prepared)
  Radar/satellite/autoplots/almanac pages

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Rundown

• Phone calls (dozens/no wx center voicemail)
• Emails (personal team) 15-50/day requesting
  specific forecasts/information/wx watchers
• Internet forecasts
• Internet video forecasts
• Blogs(!)
• 24/7 weather channel cut-ins

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My Biggest Issues

• Losing track of timeresearch of data takes time
  away from other thingsthen creating the graphics
  to support something different
• Teases(!)-I hate themviewers hate them (biggest
  complaint)management hopes that it keeps viewers
  watching an extra 5-10 minutes.

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Severe Weather Day

• Requires even more forecast preparation and then
  nowcasting
• Phone calls and emails multiply
• More interaction with the newsroom
• On Air-longer wxcasts and more wx inserts
• Cant trim from graphics because of event timing
  issues or possible busts

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During an actual event

• Magnitude dictates staffing
• More warnings expectedmore meteorologists
• If tornadicall hands on deck

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Severe Logistics

• Everybody wants to know where to go
• We work with about 12 chasersare they active
  via email/phone call? Whats the target? Do we
  nowcast for them or are they doing it
• Our own reporters/photogs turn to
  spotters/chasers. They need directions to be
  ahead of the storms and damage reports to get
  video back to the station.

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Severe Logistics

• SKYFOX Routing. We advise them on storms of
  interest and best route back to airport
• Monitor NWS chats/info/mesoscale nowcast
  discussions/MERS
• Phones dont stop ringing(!)
• Calling various communities for reports

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One more thing

• YOURE ON THE AIR
• AT THE SAME TIME

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Live TV

• EVERYTHING is spontaneous and live!
• Jumping from one meteorologist to another that
  has additional information
• Phoners with EMs/city officials/visuals/live
  pics/SKYPE video/and about 5 other things that I
  cant think of.
• Chaotic at best. Planning helps. Rogue Tornado
  makes my job the most stressful

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WHY?

• SAVE LIVES
• Give Viewers credible, concise and timely
  information!

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Pressures We Face

• Balancing coverage and programming
• Advance the story. Is the event still
  unfoldinghave the storms weakened. Am I saying
  the same thing over and over
• Is it better to block out the program entirely or
  constantly interrupt it?
• Each event is different
• Most immediate viewer response is negative

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Pressures We Face

• Were not making money
• No local commercials in continuous coverage
• Initial reaction Why do I care about a tornado
  in X when I live in Y? Can you please put COPS on
  again!
• My favorite You interrupted my show X and
  ruined my night. Ill never watch you, your
  program, or your station again. I hate you!

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Management

• Weather drives the local news.
• Our management is hands off. We do what we need
  to dowhen we need to do it.
• Be reasonableconsider the viewers and the
  situationthink about the show thats on. Is it
  American Dad or American Idol with local
  David Cook
• Are we perfect? NO!

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Goals Of The Seminar

• Improve the conduit of weather information
  especially severe weather information.
• Learn about the pressures you are under so that
  when we wonder why does this happenwe have a
  better understanding.
• Establish new relationships with you. TV is still
  for the masses.

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Any Questions

• Joe Lauria
• [phone] (direct into the wx center)
• Joe.lauria_at_wdaftv4.com
• Myfoxkc.com (soon to change)
• fox4kc.com

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